Adjustable fan



April 26, 1932. 1.. M. BAKER ADJUSTABLE FAN Filed Aug. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR 4*7X74W0u VJ /W ATTORN EY5 April 26, 1932. M. BAKER v1,856,017

ADJUSTABLE FAN Filed Aug. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEON M. BAKER, F FULTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE HUNTER FAN & MOTOR COMPANY, OF FULTON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ADJUSTABLE FAN Application filed August 9, 1929. Serial No. 384,675;

This invention relates to fans as ceiling fans and the like, and has for its object, a particularly simple and efficient means for shifting the vanes or blades to. change the angle thereof. Other objects appear throughout the specification.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings,'in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional v ew of a fan structure embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View, partly in section and parts being removed, of the lower section of the vane carrier.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, sectional view on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, sectional View on line 4-4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation of parts seen in Figure 4, looking to the right.

This fan comprises a rotating carrier, vanes journalled in the carrier, a vane shifting member supported by the carrier and shiftable about the axis of the carrier relatively thereto, and connections between said member and the vanes, whereby upon shifting of said member, the vanes are rocked about their axes to change the angle thereof.

1 designates the carrier generally, this being the rotor of an electric motor. 2 designates the field of the motor and 3 the supporting frame or casing. The rotor or carrier is provided with a central chamber or recess 4 open at one end at its lower end and said can rier is formed at the lower end of the recess with radially extending bearings 5 6 are the vanes having axles 7 journalled in the bearings 5.

8 designates the adjusting member, this being here shown as mounted in the recess 4 and in the form of a ring interposed between an internal shoulder 9 in therecess and the inner end portions 10 of the axle 7, which end portions project into the recess 4, the ring being so mounted as to be shifted about its axis when a force is applied to turn it, that is, about the axis of the carrier or rotor 1, as the ring 8 is concentric with the rotor 1.

The ring 8 and the axle 7 of the vanes are connected together by suitable means, whereby the shifting movement of the ring 8 is transferred to the axle 7 to rock the same in their bearings 5 and hence, vary the angles of the vanes 6. As best seen in Figure 3, the ring and the axles are formed with intermeshing toothed means as a single tooth 11 on the inner end of each axle 7 and a tooth space or notch 11 formed in the edge of the ring 8 which overlies the inner end portions 10 of the axles.

Preferably, means is provided by which the ring 8 can be readily shifted to vary the angle of the van-es 6 and as here illustrated, this means is supported by the carrier and operable from the outside of the carrier and comprises, a rotary cam means mounted in the wall of the recess 4 and coacting at its inner end with the ringand at its outer end provided with a suitable handle or other means by which it can be turned with or without a tool.

As seen in Figures 4 and 5, 12 designates a shaft or spindle journalled in a suitable opening in the wall of the recess 4, the shaft or spindle having an eccentric pin 13 at its inner end which works with a transverse slot 14 formed in the ring 8, so that rocking movement of the shaft will cause the ring 8 to shift about its axis. Preferably, the outer end of the shaft 12 is provided with a suitable handle 15.

The shaft is held in position by a retaining plate 16 detachably secured to the outer side of the wall of the recess 4. The plate is shown as formed with a fork or split ring 17 encircling the shaft on the outer side of the wall of the recess 4, the fork coacting with a collar 18 fixed on the shaft and interposed between the split ring or fork and the outer face of the wall of the recess 4. The plate 16 is secured to the wall of the recess 4 by suitable fastening means as a screw 19.

Obviously, turning of the shaft 12 by means of the handle or otherwise, will transferthrough the eccentric pin 13 and slot 14, a rotary movement to the ring 8 to shift the ring about its axis and such shifting movement of the ring is transferred to the axle 7 of the vanes through the teeth and notch 11 and 11*.

Preferably, the vanes or the bearings 5 therefor are provided on a section of the carrier 1, which section is deta-chably secured to the main body of the carrier 1, this section being annular in form with the axle bearings 5 extending radially therefrom. The section 20 is secured to the main body of the carrier 1 by fastening means as screws 21 extending through abutting annular flanges provided on the main body and the section 20. V

The main frame or casing 3 is here illustrated, as provided with a central hub 22 for attachment to an electric conduit 23,'through which pass the service wires for a lamp or other device supported below the fan structure, the conduit projecting from the wall or ceiling of a room. The rotor or carrier is formed with a central hub 24 abut-ing at one end against the inner end of the hub 22, this hub having an extension 25 extending axially into the chamber 1. A tubular hanger 26 extends axially through the hub and is secured as by a drive fit at 27 at its upper end in the hub, an antifri'ction thrust bearing 28 being carried at the lower end of the hanger and on which the lower end of the hub 25 rests. This bearing is held in position by a nut 29 threading on the lower end of the hanger.

30 is a support for a fixture to be suspended below the fan as a lamp. The fixtures vary in form, size and character, but all of them are attached to the fan unit in the same manner, each being provided with a hollow threaded stem 31 for extending into the lower end of the hanger 26 and threading thereinto as at 32. Thus, by reason of the pipe 23, the hollow hanger 26 and hollow stem 81, a passage is provided for electric wires. Also, a suitable oil feeding sleeve 33v surrounds the hanger within the hub 2a and hub extension 25 and lubricant is supplied to the bearing between the sleeve and the hub, through an oil duct 36.

The support 30 has an upwardly extending tubular portion 37 surrounding the bearing 28 and the lower end of the hub 25 and spaced therefrom forming a receiver for oil and feeder for the bearing 28 and this tubular portion 37 has an oil retaining ring 38 at its upper end between it and the hub 25 for preventing oil from working out over the upper edge of the tubular portion.

Owing to the ring 8, obviously, the vanes can be readily shifted and the shifting means consists of a small number of compactly assembled parts, and owing to the relative lo cation of the ring- 8 to the axles 7 and the way in which it is assembled in the carrier 1, or the section 20 thereof, a particularly simple,

economical and compact structure is pro- Vided.

What I claim is:

1. A fan comprising a rotating carrier, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier, a member supported by the carrier concentrio with the axis thereof and being shiftable about the axis of the carrier, said member and the axles having intermeshing teeth, whereby upon shifting of said member about its axis, the axles are shifted about their axes, and means supported by the carrier and extending through the side thereof behind the plane of the axles for shifting said member about its axis.

2. A fan comprising a rotatable carrier, vanes journalled in the carrier, means for shifting the vanes comprising a member supported by the carrier and shiftable about the axis thereof and connections between said member and the vanes, whereby shifting of said member about the axis of the carrier, shifts the vanes to vary the angle thereof, and an operating member rotatably mounted in the carrier and having an eccentric portion coacting with said member to shift the same upon rocking of the operating member.

3. A fan comprising a rotatable carrier, vanes journalled in the carrier and means for shifting the vanes comprising a member supported by the carrier and shiftable about the axis thereof, connections between said memher and the vanes, whereby shifting of said member about the axis of the carrier, shifts the vanes to vary the angle thereof, and rocking cam means supported by the carrier and coacting with said member to shift the same.

4. A fan comprising a rotating carrier, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier, a member supported by the carrier concentric with the axis thereof and being shiftable about the axis of the carrier, said member and the axles having intermeshing teeth, whereby upon shifting of said member about its axis, the axles shift about their axes, and means supported by the carrier and rotatable in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of the carrier for shifting said member about its axis.

5. A fan comprising a rotating carrier, vanes having axles journa-lled in the carrier and shif-table to vary the angle of the vanes, a ring supported by the carrier concentric with the axis thereof, the ring being shiftable about its axis relatively to the carrier and connections between the ring and the axles, whereby upon shifting movement of the ring about its axis, the axles are rocked in their bearings to change the angle of the vanes, means extending through the side of the carrier and having a lever connected therewith for shifting the ring.

7 6. A fan comprising a rotating carrier, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier and shiftable to vary the angle of the vanes,

a ring supported by the carrier concentric with the axis thereof, the ring being shiftable about its axis relatively to the carrier and connections between the ring and the axles, whereby upon shifting movement of the ring about its axis, the axles are rocked in their bearings to change the angle of the vanes, and cam means journalled in the carrier and coacting with the ring to shift the same about its axis upon the rocking of the cam means.

7. A fan comprising a rotating carrier hav ing a central chamber, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier and having their ends projecting into the chamber, a shifting member supported by the carrier within the chamber, said member being shiftable about the axis of the carrier; connections between said member and the portions of the axles projecting into said chamber for transmitting the shifting movement of said member to said axles to rock the same in their bearings and vary the angle of the vanes; and means extending through the side of the chamber for shifting said member.

8. A fan comprising a rotating carrier having a central chamber, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier and having their end portions extending into the chamber, a ring mounted in said chamber concentric with the axis of the carrier and shiftable about its axis, the ring and the portions of the axles extending into the chamber having intermeshing means, whereby the movement of the ring about its axis is transferred to the axle; and means extending through the side of the chamber for shifting said member.

9. A fan comprising a rotating carrier having a central chamber, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier and having their end portions extending into the chamber, a ring mounted in said chamber concentric with the axis of the carrier and shiftable about its axis, the ring and the portions of the axles extending into the chamber having intermeshing means, whereby the movement of the ring about its axis is transferred to the axles, and means for shifting the ring, said means including a member extending transversely through the wall of the carrier and having a handle at its outer end.

10. A fan comprising a rotating carrier having a central chamber, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier; and having their end portions extending into the chamber, a ring mounted in said chamber concentric with the axis of the carrier and shiftable about its axis, the ring and the portions of the axles extending into the chamber having intermeshing means, whereby the movement of the ring about its axis is transferred to the axle, and means for shifting the ring, said means comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in the wall of the carrier and having eccentric means at its inner end coacting with the ring and a handle at its outer end.

11. A fan comprising a rotating carrier having a central chamber open at one end and with an internal annular shoulder remote from said end, vanes having axles journalled in the carrier and having portions extending into said chamber between the open end of said chamber and the shoulder, a shifting member mounted in the chamber and abutting against said shoulder and overlying the portions of the axles projecting into the chamber, said member and the axles having means by which the motion of said member about its axis is transferred to the axles to rock the same and vary the angle of the vanes.

12. A motor fan comprising a rotating carrier formed with a shoulder, vanes having axles ournalled in the carrier with portions thereof opposed to the shoulder, a shifting member supported by the carrier and i11- terposed between said shoulder and said portions of the axle, whereby said member is held in position against the shoulder by the axle, said member being shiftable about the axis of the carrier and motion transmitting means between said member and the axle to transfer the shifting movement of said member to the axles to rock the same and vary the angle of the vanes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 2d day of August, 1929.

LEON M. BAKER. 

